Kono Pizza plans multi-unit deal in NY, CA

EDISON, N.J. (January 13, 2013) – It looks like a newly introduced delicacy of pizza served in cones is here to stay. Just six months after making its American debut with a corporate-owned location in New Jersey, Kono Pizza, a quick-service franchise that sells pizza in a unique cone-shaped crust filled with fresh, Italian ingredients, has announced the signing of multiple franchise deals from California to New York. In all, Kono Pizza has 15-plus additional units in the pipeline as part of its newly launched U.S. expansion.

Kicking off the expansion is a multi-unit franchise agreement that will bring three new Kono Pizza restaurants to San Diego. The California expansion will be led by franchisees Jonathan Scoggins and Craig Dewitt, who plan to open their first Kono Pizza location in the Gaslamp Quarter by the end of 2014, followed by additional future locations along the West Coast. Scoggins, co-founder and vice president of Synthonix, and Dewitt, ex-special operations forces for the U.S. Marines Corps, chose Kono Pizza to further diversify their business development and management skills.

“San Diego is the perfect location for us to expose a new business –– with the sunny weather year-round there’s always people walking around,” stated Scoggins. “The foot traffic in the downtown area coupled with the proximity to a large convention center will set us up to gain a huge following.”

In addition to the California growth, Kono Pizza’s co-founders Carlo Ruggiero, David Ragosa and Greg Kinlaw will open a corporate-owned location in Raleigh, North California, by the end of the First Quarter of 2014. The trio opened their first corporate Kono Pizza in Edison, New Jersey, in August 2013. They plan to expand the concept through franchising at least 10 franchise locations in Long Island and at least one location in downtown Philadelphia.

Kono Pizza embraces original Italian recipes and ingredients inspired by the overseas locations. Served in a cone and filled with fresh, quality ingredients, some imported straight from Italy, the brand offers consumers a healthier, on-the-go alternative to one of their favorite foods. Featuring a thinner crust and low-moisture cheese, Kono Pizza cones are only 250-280 calories each, compared to 450 calories in the average traditional pizza slice.

“In a flooded market with more than 70,000 pizzerias and fast-casual pizza concepts, we stand alone with a unique pizza product like no other franchise in the U.S.,” stated David Ragosa, co-founder of Kono USA. “We expect our success in California and Long Island to act as a catalyst for further expansion across the country, offering entrepreneurs the opportunity to get in on the ground floor with an innovative franchise in the quick-service pizza segment.”

Kono USA has its sights set on opening locations across the country both stand-alone and kiosk formats. Their mission is to keep everything simple and affordable for franchisees by offering a streamlined, manager-driven business model with a low start-up cost of $250,000-$400,000.

About Kono Pizza
Founded in Edison, New Jersey., Kono USA was established in the United States in 2013 by David Ragosa, Carlo Ruggiero and Greg Kinlaw, who took the already popular European concept and brought it to America. Originated by Italian culinary genius, Rossano Boscolo, Kono Pizza cones are filled with fresh, quality ingredients inspired by original Italian recipes, giving consumers an on-the-go, healthier way to enjoy their favorite food. There are currently 130 Kono Pizza locations operating in 20 countries.